India's industrial output turns positive, rises 0.1%

NEW DELHI (AFP) - India's industrial production edged into positive territory Wednesday but the 0.1 per cent rise posted for January was nowhere near the strong recovery the government had hoped for ahead of national elections.

The marginal increase in output by factories, mines and utilities in January from a year earlier, marked the first acceleration in four months.

It was also a better result than the 0.6 per cent contraction financial markets expected.

"The data shows India's beleaguered economy moving in the right direction, but still far from healthy," said Capital Economics economist Miguel Chanco.